Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Application No. 18/913,739

AMBIENT INTERNET OF THINGS CONTENTION BASED RANDOM ACCESS WITH NEW AND DUPLICATE PAGING DETECTION IN A 2-STEP RANDOM ACCESS PROCEDURE

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Oct 11, 2024
Examiner
CHIO, TAT CHI
Art Unit
2486
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Sharp Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
73%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 4m
Est. Remaining
90%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 73% — above average
73%
Career Allowance Rate
624 granted / 856 resolved
+14.9% vs TC avg
Strong +17% interview lift
Without
With
+17.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 3m
Avg Prosecution
34 currently pending
Career history
897
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
9.7%
-30.3% vs TC avg
§103
55.2%
+15.2% vs TC avg
§102
18.8%
-21.2% vs TC avg
§112
5.5%
-34.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 856 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim(s) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lai et al. (US 2025/0393076 A1). Consider claim 1, Lai teaches an energy harvesting electronic device ([0049]) or an ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device ([0005] and [0062]), comprising: an energy storage device configured to store energy harvested by the energy harvesting electronic device ([0049] and [0098]); memory for storing instructions ([0032], [0198] – [0202]); and a processor configured to execute the instructions to cause the energy harvesting electronic device to ([0198] – [0202]): receive a message on a physical random downlink control channel (PRDCH), wherein the message includes any combination of a paging identification (ID), a reader ID, a paging re-transmission counter, and a type of random access, for random access paging ([0062] – [0063] and [0103] – [0113]); determine that the message is a retransmission of an ongoing paging process for a two-step random access procedure ([0079] – [0086]), and that a first message was transmitted in response to a previous message ([0079] – [0086]); and determine whether a second message is supported by the two-step random access procedure ([0067], [0114], [0124] – [0158]). Consider claim 2, Lai teaches the processor is configured to determine whether a first message valid timer has expired when the device determines the second message is not supported by the two-step random access procedure ([0089] – [0092]). Consider claim 3, Lai teaches the processor is configured to transmit the first message following the received message when the device determines the first message valid timer has expired (Upon the expiry/expiration of the first timer (at the reader), the reader may perform a R2D retransmission. [0089] – [0092]). Consider claim 4, Lai teaches the processor is configured to not transmit the first message and to ignore the retransmission of the message when the device determines the first message valid timer has not expired (The R2D transmission and/or the corresponding D2R transmission may not be considered failed (or not successful) when the first timer is running. [0089] – [0092]). Consider claim 5, Lai teaches the processor is configured to determine whether the second message has been received when the device determines the second message is supported by the two-step random access procedure (for a 2-step contention based access procedure, the reader may send an initial trigger message (e.g., Msg0). The device may send a D2R message (e.g., Msg1) including (at least) an ID and/or other upper layer data. The reader may (at least) echo the ID (received in Msg1) after (or in response to) receiving the D2R message (e.g., Msg1), via transmitting an R2D message (e.g., Msg2). That is, the device may consider the transmission/reception/contention resolution successful if (at least) the R2D message (e.g., Msg2) includes/indicates the same ID in the D2R message (e.g., Msg1). [0067]. The R2D message may be transmitted via one or more R2D transmissions. The device may be considered to be successful in transmission/reception/contention resolution if (at least) the ID (provided in the (first) D2R transmission) is included in the R2D message (associated with the selected D2R (time/frequency) resource). The device(s) may be considered to fail in transmission/reception/contention resolution if (at least) the ID (provided in the (first) D2R transmission) is not included in the R2D message (associated with the selected D2R (time/frequency) resource). [0075]). Consider claim 6, Lai teaches the processor is configured to not retransmit the first message and to ignore the retransmission of the message when the device determines the second message has been received (the device receiving the Msg2 (indicating corresponding (ID) of the device in Msg1) may be considered as successful in the transmission/reception/contention resolution. The device receiving the Msg2 (indicating corresponding ID of the device in Msg1) may perform another D2R transmission (e.g., Msg3) corresponding to the R2D transmission (e.g., Msg2). Other devices not receiving the Msg2 (indicating a corresponding ID of the device in Msg1) may be considered as failed/unsuccessful in the transmission/reception/contention resolution. Other device(s) receiving the Msg2 without indicating a corresponding ID of the other device(s) may be considered as failed/unsuccessful in the transmission/reception/contention resolution. The failed devices (i.e., failed/unsuccessful in the transmission/reception/contention resolution, or not indicated in the corresponding Msg2), other than the successful device, may not perform the consequent D2R transmission (e.g., Msg3) and/or R2D reception (e.g., Msg4) (e.g., in the same (or current) access procedure). The reader does not realize the total number of failed device(s) and/or the corresponding device ID(s) of the failed device(s). The failed devices may still need to perform the access procedure by performing a D2R retransmission (e.g., Msg1 (re)transmission). However, the resource(s) for the D2R retransmission is not provided (or indicated). There is an issue on how the failed device(s) acquire resources for performing the D2R retransmissions. [0063]. See also [0067], [0075], [0089] – [0092]). Consider claim 7, Lai teaches the processor is configured to determine whether a second message response timer has expired when the device determines the second message has not been received ([0089] – [0092]). Consider claim 8, Lai teaches the processor is configured to transmit the first message following the received message when the device determines the second message response timer has expired ([0089] – [0092]). Consider claim 9, Lai teaches the processor is configured to not transmit the first message and to ignore the retransmission of the message when the device determines the second message response timer has not expired ([0089] – [0092]). Consider claim 10, claim 10 recites the method implemented by the device recited in claim 1. Thus, it is rejected for the same reasons. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAT CHI CHIO whose telephone number is (571)272-9563. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 10am-5pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JAMIE J ATALA can be reached at 571-272-7384. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /TAT C CHIO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2486
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Oct 11, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 30, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
73%
Grant Probability
90%
With Interview (+17.4%)
3y 3m (~1y 4m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 856 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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